The IOC OlympicStudies Centre (OSC)has launched the 2011Postgraduate ResearchGrant Programmeintended for youngresearchers engaged inscholarly research onthe Olympic Movement,its history and ideals,and the impact of theOlympic Games on thevarious aspects of con-temporary society andculture. The objectivesof this programme areto encourage youngresearchers to under-take research with ahumanities or socialsciences perspectiveon the Olympic phe-nomena, to promotethe use of the IOC'swritten and audiovisualassets and to encour-age exchanges of infor-mation and interculturalnetworking of youngresearchers. All currentpostgraduate studentsundertaking a PhDdegree and all universi-ty professors/lecturerswho have completedtheir doctorate orequivalent terminaldegree in the past fiveyears and who current-ly hold an academicappointment can apply.Applications should besent to the OSC byemail (research_grants@olympic.org) ormail before 30 Sept. The IOC has opened a new sports complex inLusaka, Zambia, in the presence of IOC PresidentJacques Rogge, the President of the Republic ofZambia, Rupiah Banda, and some 2,000 people,including 600 youngsters who used the state-of-the-art facilities for the first time.The Olympic Youth Development Centre inLusaka is the first of its kind. Its main purpose is to help enhance sports development in Zambiaby offering sports competitions and trainingfacilities, but it will also provide a wide range ofeducational programmes, health services andcommunity activities to athletes and the generalpublic in the region.The centre is set up as a multi-purposecomplex, including outdoor and indoor facilities as well as a number of educational and culturalareas, such as classrooms, a library, an internetzone and offices.Led by the IOC, the project was undertaken in partnership with the Zambian government,which donated the land to the National OlympicCommittee (NOC) of Zambia, and the sixInternational Federations (IFs) of athletics,basketball, boxing, weightlifting, handball andhockey, which helped to develop the sportsfacilities and offered technical expertise as well as financial assistance. "I am very proud to officially open the firstOlympic Youth Development Centre here inLusaka," said President Rogge in his inaugurationspeech. "This project would not have seen thelight without the unfailing commitment of thegovernment of Zambia, the International andNational Sports Federations and the ZambianNOC. Like in sports, teamwork led to this successand I am confident that the centre will becomenot only the home of many elite regional andinternational athletes, but also the home ofthousands of kids who will learn about sport andlife. I look forward to seeing the place grow andinspire us to build similar centres in other regions of the world."The Olympic Youth Development Centre inLusaka is part of the Sports for Hope Programmeinitiated by the IOC to provide athletes, youngpeople and communities in developing countrieswith better opportunities to practise sport and tobe exposed to the Olympic values. Ensuring thatevery individual has access to sport is one of thefundamental principles of Olympism. The IOC iscurrently investigating possibilities to replicate the project on other continents.BelowYoungsters enjoying the new OlympicYouth Development Centre in ZambiaOLYMPICYOUTHDEVELOPMENTANEWKIPKEINOSCHOOLINELDORETPresident Jacques Rogge returned to Eldoret, theheartland of Kenyan athletics, five years after hisfirst visit, where he was welcomed by Kenya'snative son and double gold medallist, Kip Keino,who has built schools, an orphanage and an elitetraining facility for athletes. On 13 May, PresidentRogge inaugurated the secondary school, in thepresence of the Kenyan Ministers of Sport and Education.Since his retirement from sport, IOC member,Kip Keino has been helping his country byproviding the most necessary of tools -schools,so that children are given the chance to have agood education and a brighter future. Today, theKip Keino School houses, feeds and educatesover 300 orphans and children from Eldoret. At the secondary school, environmental care andthe Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP)will be an integral part of the curriculum. Itsstudents will learn about the values of respect, fair play, excellence, joy in effort and the balanceof body, mind and will.During his stay in Eldoret, President Roggealso donated sports equipment and funds to theRed Cross for Internally Displaced Youth in Ngarua- Annesene Secondary School in Eldoret. AsPresident Rogge says: "The IOC will continueusing sport as a tool to assist those whose livesare ravaged by war and disease and who aredisadvantaged and marginalised."Above (left-to-right) Thomas Bach, PresidentRogge and Kip KeinoOLYMPIC STUDIES CENTRE12OLYMPIC REVIEW

OLYMPIC REVIEW13Vancouver 2010The OrganisingCommittee for theOlympic andParalympic WinterGames in 2010 inVancouver (VANOC)announced that almostone ton of medical anddental supplies - sur-plus from the Games -is being sent to Haiti tohelp the victims of theearthquake of 12January. VANOC isworking with theCanadian Forces to dis-patch these supplies. The London 2012 OrganisingCommittee has launched its Olympicmascot. Going by the name ofWenlock (below left), the mascot was"created" from one of the last two drops of theBritish steel being used for London's OlympicStadium. With a shiny outer skin and a single eye,Wenlock will travel around Great Britain over thenext two years as it heads towards its ultimatedestination - the Olympic Games in London inJuly 2012.Wenlock's head is inspired by the lights onLondon's iconic black taxis, and the shape of itshead is based on that of London's OlympicStadium roof. It also has three points on its head,which represent the places on the medalspodium. Wenlock loves all Olympic sports, and willdo its best to learn everything that it can aboutthem between now and the Games.The only thing Wenlock likes better thanlearning about the Olympics is making friends andseeing other people make friends. Wenlock wearsfive friendship bands in the colour of the Olympicrings, and is looking forward to makingas many friends as possiblebetween now and Games time.Wenlock's friend Mandeville (right) is theLondon 2012 Paralympicmascot -named after theBritish town of StokeMandeville, where theParalympics were first held.The first officialOlympic mascot - Waldi thedachshund - was launched onthe occasion of the 1972Olympic Games in Munich.Since that time, the mascothas become a regular featureat the Games, appearingalone or with friends andtaking not only animal formsbut also those of traditionaldolls, and even an ice cube and a piece of snow!The IOC Coordination Commission for the 2016Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro successfullyconcluded its first visit to the Brazilian hostcity, with Commission Chair Nawal ElMoutawakel saying she was pleased withthe outcome of the three-day series ofmeetings. In addition to talks with key figuresof the Rio Games project, including membersof the federal, state and city governments, MinisterOrlando Silva, Governor Sérgio Cabral, and MayorEduardo Paes, the Commission also got a first-handlook at the venues and was provided with detailedinformation by the Games organisers. "Rio has made a good start to the project", saidEl Moutawakel. "It has laid a solid foundation, butthe scope of the Olympic project is immense, and it is important that no time is wasted. That is whyit's fantastic to note that all 26 originally plannedOlympic sports now have a home and that thevenue locations are secured. We were alsopleased to see that the whole of Brazil continuesto be behind the Games, which was underlined tous by the strong support for the Gamesfrom all levels of government."The Commission visited a number of venues, including the RioCentroConvention Centre, Rio OIympic Arena, Maria LenkAquatic Centre and João Havelange Stadium. The Commission will make its second visit to Rio in 2011.Below The IOC Coordination Commission, led by Nawal El Moutawakel (centre)LONDONMASCOTSFIRSTCOORDINATIONCOMMISSIONVISITTORIOIOCPRAISESSOCHI2014PREPARATIONSThe IOC CoordinationCommission for the Sochi 2014 Games praised the progress being made bylocal organisers in the Russian city as it gears upto host the XXII Olympic Winter Games. Led byChairman Jean-Claude Killy, the Commissionconvened in Sochi from 13 to 15 April to assessthe developments made by the Sochi 2014Organising Committee and its partners since theCommission's last full visit in May 2009. Speakingafter the meetings, Chairman Killy said: "It is awe-inspiring work that is being undertaken in the Sochi region. With 43 construction sites that areoperational 24 hours a day, employing around16,000 workers, we are looking at one ofEurope's biggest and most ambitious constructionprojects, and I am pleased to report that work is on schedule."Sochi 2014 has also learnt a number oflessons from their observation of the VancouverGames, and this was obvious in thecomprehensive presentations that we receivedfrom the very motivated staff that we heard from this week."He concluded: "We reminded the organisersthat they need to continue moving forward in some areas, including accommodation,workforce recruitment and training, andconstruction, but we are confident that theproject is on track and are impressed with theprogress they have made over the past year,particularly in their very successful marketingprogramme."The next full Coordination Commission visitto Sochi is scheduled from 12 to 14 October. NEWS INBRIEF